Mega-Shitstorm against JJ: Criticism of Israel speech after ESC victory!

Mega-Shitstorm against JJ: Criticism of Israel speech after ESC victory!

The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is traditionally a highlight of the European music scene, but this year it was overshadowed by political controversy. After his victory, the Austrian singer JJ is massively criticized for his controversial statements on Israeli participation in social media. A political discourse broke out on his Instagram account, which was quickly shaped by an overwhelming wave of negative comments. Users focus less on his profit or song, but on his explicit demand for an ESC 2026 "without Israel". This statement was made in an interview with "El País" and not only had numerous protests unleashed on social media, but was also classified as dangerous by politicians.

based on the statements of JJ, in which he equated Israel and Russia as "aggressors", a shitstorm followed on Instagram. Despite a later relativization of his statements, the damage did not fail to materialize. A large number of commentators even called for the dismissal of his victory and the exclusion of future ESC participation. While some users JJ's criticism of Israeli politics considered legitimate, the vast majority in their allegations were unmistakable to him. Prominent politicians such as Oskar Deutsch and Wolfgang Sobotka also expressed sharp criticism and supported a differentiated examination of the topic.

protests and controversy around Israel's participation

The participation of Israel in the ESC has also triggered confidence and protests in Malmö and Basel. In Malmö, the Israeli contribution "Hurricane", formerly "October Rain", was controversial, since the title is reminiscent of the massacre of October 7, 2023. Thousands of demonstrators called for Israel's exclusion due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. The EBU rejected these claims and emphasized that not the states, but the national TV institutions are responsible for the participation of the musicians. Nevertheless, the protests did not fail.

During the ESC week, around 5000 people demonstrated against Israeli participation in Malmö, including prominent environmentalists such as Greta Thunberg, and accused the country of genocide and colonialism. There were also reports of mixed reactions to the Israeli artist Eden Golan during her appearance, which resulted in both boos and applause. In Basel, also in Basel, where Yuval Raphael appeared for Israel, the situation was spoiled. Although Raphael only gave a few interviews and held back from the public, her performance was accompanied by demonstrators.

The challenges for Israel's participants

like Raphael, who appeared on May 14, 2025 at the ESC in Basel with "New Day Will Rise", many Israeli artists are in the shadow of protests. Despite her challenges, Raphael was able to collect enough voices to move into the final. On this day, around 200 demonstrators protested military acts against Israel and demanded an end to the conflict. Nevertheless, the EBU stated that Israel was represented by the Kan broadcaster and not directly from the government, and appealed to the values of neutrality and inclusive.

The situation around the ESC illustrates the area of tension between art and politics. At a time when millions of people follow the music celebrations, the question of how political issues should be integrated into these cultural events remains controversial. While the debates are increasing, it remains to be seen to what extent the ESC remains as a platform of criticism of existing political conditions or whether artists such as JJ and Raphael are actually influenced by the events in their homeland and international politics.